Multiple article packages



' Feb. 24, 1959 w. w. wooDwARD MULTIPLE ARTICLE PACKAGES Filed may 17, 1957 MULTIPLE .tnrrrctul rAcxAGEs i William W. Woodward, Godfrey, lll., rto Alton Box Board Company, Alton, Ill., `incorporation lof Dela` ware Application May 11, 1957, senat No. 659,938

1'c1aim. (Croma- 65)V This invention relates toban'ded-` packages, and more particularly to apparatus for and a method of t forming large unitized shipping units from a number of relatively small articles. i It will be understood that material handling conditions practices-have developed tothe stage where nearly all items shipped by truck orbox car must be in large units that can be loaded'and Vunloaded by means of industrial lifttrucks. e In those instances where thearticle itself is small, a number of them may be packed in a large paperboard container, or if the articles are'l of a regular box-like shape, they might be stacked or strapped on a pallet to form a unit of size sufficient to justify the use of an industrial truck. It will be apparent, however, that 'a large container is expensive and its height introduces difficulties in lling it, whereas only articles of proper shape can be successfully stacked.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved system for forming large packages from relatively small articles that require support when stacked. Among the several other objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a system of the character referred to which involves minimum cost of materials and which is highly convenient from the view point of arranging the articles in a bulk package of proper size and shape.

Although other features of the invention will be brought out in the following detailed description, briefly, the invention involves the use of a bottom tray having upstanding sides for receiving a rst tier or layer of articles. A short collapsible paperboard tube formed with side walls and foldable inturned flanges located between the top and bottom margins of the tube is placed over the rst tier of articles so that it is supported by its inturned flanges on the top of the rst tier. The side walls depending from the inturned flanges of the tube encompass the articles about the upper periphery thereof so as to hold them in proper relationship, whereas the side walls projecting above the inturned flanges may contain a next layer or tier of articles, the band being held in position by its inturned ilanges. One or more such bands are utilized, and an upper cap is placed over the uppermost tier to complete the package. If desired, metal straps may be utilized in the conventional manner to hold the assembly togethen Other features of the invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed'out in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspectiverview illustrating a package incorporating the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing a rst step in the packaging operation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which a packaging tube of this invention is formed;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a further step in forming the package;

, 2,874,834 Patented Feb. 24, l195,9

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Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the package just before strapping;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating an alternative blank for forming a packaging tube of this invention; and t Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the packaging tube formed from the blank shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, a tray generally designated 1 is placed upon a loading station, such as a conveyor extending along a packaging line. The tray is of a conventional design in that it has a bottom panel 3 and upstanding `sides S, which are held upright by stitched flaps 6 in the usual manner. The articles A to be packaged are then placed within the tray, as illustrated in Fig. 2, until the tray is completely filled. The invention is particularly adapted to the use of relatively elongate articles, such as the corner posts used in rnakingrein` forced crates, and this initial packaging step is facilitated v if the articles are initially tied together in small bundles, as bya string.

After the bottom tray 1 vhas been tilled, a short paperboard tube 7 is placed over the articles, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This tube is conveniently formed from corrugated paperboard so as to be collapsible. For example, j referring to Fig.V 3, an elongate strip 7 having margins 9 and 11 is transversely scored to dene corner folds 13 and intervening sides 15. A llap 16 at one end of the strip is adapted to be secured to the opposite end, as by gluing or stitching to complete the tube, but the tube preferably is of the same outline as the bottom tray 1. In addition,

the side walls 15 of the blank are partially cut alongV transverse lines 17 and are longitudinally scored therebetween at 19 to form 1foldable flaps 21, which may be folded out of the plane of and to right angular relation with the side walls. Since the tubes may be collapsed, a large supply thereof may be conveniently maintained at the packaging station.

When placing one of the tubes upon the first tier of articles A, the aps 21 are folded inwardly as anges to overlie the upper surfaces of the articles, thereby holding the tube in position with the lower margin 9 thereof encompassing the articles on the bottom tray about their upper periphery. The other margin 11 of the tube projects upwardly- (as indicated in Fig. 4) and additional articles Vare then placed upon the first tier within the confines of the tube. If the articles are relatively low in height, there may be several such tiers, each separated by a tube of the type described. In the illustrated ernbodiment, however, there are only two such tiers and a flanged cap or tray 23 is placed over the upper tier. The cap 23 may be identical to the lower tray, except it is inverted.

One of the features of this arrangement is that the tray 1 and tube 7 serve as a temporary means of holding the article in properly assembled relationship until the package is finally completed. Moreover, the shallow tray and short tube are convenient from the workers point of view (at least he does not have to reach into a deep container). Finally, the entire assembly, as shown in Fig. 5,

may be secured for shipping by metal straps 25 in the conventional manner. feet to form a pallet.

While the tube 7 shown in Figs. 1-5 is relatively inexpensive and works well in practice, some unitized bulk packages may require greater symmetry or strength. A somewhat different form of packaging tubes may be employed. Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, such a tube may be formed from a strip 107 having margins 109 and 111, but this strip is formed with a longitudinal center score 108 on one side of this blank and with a pair of longitudinal scores 110 in spaced relationship from the center score 108 but pressed into the other side of the blank. Transverse corner folds 113 are provided as before.

Also, the bottom tray 1 may have Itwill be notedf the tube 107 is somewhat wider than l the previous one and does not have folding flaps cut in the sides. Rather, diagonal openings 119 are cut at each corner so as to permit the entire center portion of the tube -to'beffolded inwardly, thereby providing a flange which extends entirely about the vband centrally. Vbetween theuppe'rand lower -marginsj109- and 111 thereof. Al-

though `such a packaging-tube is more expensive than that described previously, the side walls have greater resistance against bowing and offer a vsomewhat firmer support'for the articles tacked above and below the band.

Fromv theforegoing description, it is apparent that those skilled in the'art will understand the structure, function and modeof operation of the invention herein disclosed, and appreciate the advantages thereof. Although several embodiments have beenv disclosed in detail,n it is to be understood that the invention isV not limited thereto, but the drawingsand description thereof are to be understood as-being merely illustrative. It is realized that-many modifications and variations will present themselves to those skilled in the art without departing'fromthe spirit of this invention or the scopethereof as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A unitized multiple-layer package of articles comprising a bottomV tray supporting a vplurality of articles arranged in at least two separate layers, the bottom tray having upstanding r'argiportios encompassing only the lower .margins of the bottomlayerpf articles, a top tray resting upon the uppermost layer of articles and having depending marginal portions encompassing only the upper portions of the uppermost layer of articles, and a collapsible tube formed of paperboard encompassing the articles at the plane dened between twol layers, said tube having small readily foldable 'psfittng' between two adjoining layers at tlre'fqurg sides 'Qthepackage, thereby to hold the tube in o 'tion sovthat margin portions thereof encompass'arti` tlfiabveand'blow-the plane defined by the tWo'adOining--lyerson all four sides of the package, said aps having fold lines disposed intermediate of but parallel-to the tpandffbttom edges of the tube, and strap means extending around the top and bottom trays and vertically along "the sides of) the package.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITEDl'STATES PATENTS- 1,321,741)V Harman Nov. 11, 1919 2,017,571 Prseu ocr. 15, 1935 2,557,6 30 BrownA June 19, 1951 2,687,231 Somers Aug. 24, 1954 2,788,894' sniffer Apr. 16, 1957 FOREGN PATENTS 468,467 Great Britain. July 6, 1937 l i l l l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No 2,874,834 February 24, 1959 Y William W. Woodward It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification of the above `numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as Acorrected below.

Column 3, line ll, for "tacked" read -1- stacked Signed and sealed this 23rd day of June 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

